boots08

What is your typical flight structure when flying from west coast USA to France? Do you fly non-stop, or break it up with a stop?

We will be going to Paris 2nd week in September, Lot region 3rd week, and hoping to do Antibes area end of month.

I don't sleep on planes, and am generally uncomfortable on long-haul flights (we do Premium Economy not first class) so rather than fly direct from southern California, I prefer to break it up by flying somewhere east, spend the night, then do a non-stop flight next day.

This makes things a bit complicated if we do open jaw - fly into Paris, and maybe out of Nice. That calls for 5 or so different flights. Though DH says he doesn't mind and finds it easier in terms of booking, I think flying in and out of the same airport might involve too much driving.

Just wondering what you seasoned travelers do when flying to Europe from west coast USA when your trip encompasses different destinations?

Boots

Kathie

Here is what I wrote to you on the Europe Forum:

I fly non-stop if I can. I find that a layover somewhere doesn't help with jet lag and it just means it will take longer for you to adjust to the new time zone. You are better off doing it all at once, and just expect you will be jet lagged your first day there. If you are a melatonin-responder, you can use melatonin to help you adjust to the new time zone.

I also don't sleep on planes and find that I do best of I can take a flight that arrives at my destination in the evening or at night. I can take a shower, take a melatonin, and go to bed. I will typically awaken very early in the morning. I get out into the daylight early and do the things I want to do (I do try for a light schedule on my first day), take a melatonin at bedtime that night and I am in the new timezone when I wake up in the morning..

janisj

I'm also on the west coast. Unless you wanted a day or two to visit an east coast city (NYC, Boston, DC, etc) I'd NEVER break a flight like that. It won't help w/ the jet lag and as kathie says, just prolongs the agony..

I'm in northern CA with no transatlantic flights from my home airport (SMF). I used to drive to SFO but that was complicated w/ having to stay a night to get a park/fly package.

So for the last several years I take the short flight from SMF to LAX (or once in a while SeaTac) and then non-stop to the UK or Continent. it is soooooo much easier getting the long haul out of the way.

I used to fly coach (and could sleep), then premium economy. For about the last 4 or 5 years I've flown business over and coach or premium economy home. The lie flat beds on the over night flight are worth their weight in gold. Even if I don't sleep much it is SO much more comfortable.

Cali

We fly from the LA Area to Paris and have always flown nonstop. I think it is lots easier than trying to fly to the East Coast and then taking another flight from there. We do fly business class to Europe and that makes the flight much more bearable. If you cannot find a good price for business class I think Premium Economy would be much better than coach.

mjs

I do exactly as Kathie does in most cases

boots08

It turns out that my mom in Canada will be joining us on this trip to France. She's almost 80 so rather than her fly alone into a foreign airport w/o a cell phone, we will meet her in Toronto so that we can be on the same flight.

It's actually fine in this instance because I wasn't finding an affordable non-stop R/T flight from SoCal for September travel (we normally book more in advance). We were hoping for a SNA or SAN departure but the better deals were from LAX, a 2.5 hr drive that we would rather avoid. And Premium Economy seats were filling fast.

At any rate, thank you for your insights. We will def try to fly direct a la prochaine fois.

Boots

ps- I'd forgotten about the merits of melatonin - thanks for the reminder.

mjs

I am in France now for two weeks. Rented a car and dropped it off at SFO and will pick up a rental car at SFO on return home.